The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-03-31
HOW HILDA MANAGED.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

Doco Mo- murray iiNc uSlc!
Mr.. Webb knocked apologctically on
the glass counter of the bakery with the
handle of his whip. 1t seemed almost a
liberty thus unccremoniously to address
the gaily attired young woman who was
adding up III, accounts behind the tall
desk.
He stood near the door, keeping a
sharp lookout on the barefooted boy
who was holding his sleepy old horse
for had he not heard, many tim. and
oft, of the wicked ways of juvenile New
York;
In reply to his respectful question, the
young woman nodded her head and curtly
answered:
up stairs"
'lt's pretty big house." said Mr..
Webb, glancing about him. "The Muir
rays wasn't rich when they lived down
our way; but Rachel never had good
judgment. l should say, now, the rent
of house like this"
81: amt house." said the young
woman, speaking with lead pencil be-
tween her teeth.
CANT house, cl?' Martin Wcbb's
honest, onion -colored eyes gradually ex.
panded, until you would have thought
the lids could scarcely contain them.
"Not-a house,"
mo; it's fiat. Fourth story, back
room. Name of Murray. Staircase just
out in the hall there"
And so for the first time in his life,
Mr.. Webb found himself in the precincts
of ''fat"
He lost his way half dozen of times,
this gaunt, good -humorcd giant, with {
ham in his arms, two or three strings OF
country sausage over his shoulder, and 6
basket of red apples clasped tightly
against his breast. That was q matter
of course.
He walked into the kitchen of one
fiat, brought up in the parlor of another,
aud presented himself, smiling, at the
late breakfast table of third, where {
luckless printer, who worked all nigh,
on the early edition of morning paper
was slecpily chipping the shell of al
egg.
"Call them eggs2' said Martin, con-
temptuous!y. If our VOLTS Corners hen!
can't beat that ere sort o thing-Bu
I'm sure l ask pardon; guess Pve go
into the wrong fat. P'r'aps you can
tell me where lady named Murra,
lives?"
And by dint of many such question
ings and inquiries, Mr.. Webbat last 60
himself, his red apples, ham and saus
ages into scantily furnished room look
ing out on a bare brick wal--a room
where everything had starved look
| SNch eoWh w tHC Cae, WiilCu a'tt lutcutl' u
watching mousc-holc in the wainscot
ing.
Mrs. Murray, tall, pinched, eldcrl
woman, was engaged, tn. ough doubl
pair of spectaclcs, in mending fine laccs
but the slow motion of her needle, tn
uncertain expression of her face, denote,
10 very brilliant success.
And seated on the window ledge op
posite her, riding habit of dark gree
cloth, beaver hat, with black gree
veil twisted around it, and jaunt
little ivory handled whip, was prett.
girl of 1s or 20.
Both started at the entrance of Mr.
Webb, both smiled glad recognition.
"Why," C led Mrs. Murray, 'it'
cousin Martin Hilda, give your cousi
a chair. declare, Martin, l am sur
prised to see you hcrer'
mo more'n l be to get here, l guess,
returned the farmer, with a peculia
chuckling noise down in his throat
These 'ere city folks, they do take th
starch outcn a fellow. Amt much lik
our medder flats down at Wolfs Co. ne,
eh2 Hero, cousin Rachel, I've brun
ye one of Eliza's best sugar cured han
an some sassages, and Lushel of th
apples that growcd on the tree beyon
the well-the real, red checked Jose
Mcore's, you know"
'1t's very kind of you, am sure, sal
Mrs. Murray. ''Hilda, can you NJ
offer our cousin some refreshments aftt
his journeyp
Hi.da colored painfully. How coul
she explain. to her mother that th
cupboard was utterly empty, even of
crust of brcadl
'rll bring up something directly,
she murmured.
And then she vanished.
From one good-hcarted neighbor-tl
very printers wife, iadeed-she boz
rowed potful of freshly-madc coffee
from another, few slices of cold boilc
beef; from third, pan of new-bake
biscuits, with little butter and com
of honey, and then she flew back
spread the frugal meal.
'Are they all well, cousin Webbi
she asked, timidly, as, holding up h
riding habi! With one hand, she o